Tuesday, June 26, 2007

The Business of Video Games: Part 1

I work in the video game industry and as such, am often asked a couple of common questions. These include:

Could you please stop sweating?

Did something die in here?

What is that smell? Is that you?

Occasionally, I am asked about the video game industry, specifically, how exactly games are made. By occasionally, I mean twice. Both times by my mother. Sometimes she forgets things, like how she calls me Susan. Anyway.

Phase 1: The IdeaSo where do ideas for video games come from? The answer: anywhere, though beer is probably involved. In truth, there are probably thousands of good ideas for video games floating around out there. The problem is that there are also hundreds of thousands of bad ideas. How can you tell the difference? You cannot. No one can. Are there people that can? Maybe, but they are probably too busy making millions of dollars to tell you how.

Here is an actual, absolutely made up, transcript of how a game idea occurs.

Guy 1: Monkeys!

Guy 2: What?

Guy 1: No, gorillas! Undead gorillas!

Guy 2: What are you talking about?

Guy 1: Undead gorillas that fling their poo! The poo is like explosive or something!

Guy 2: Would you please be quiet?

Guy 1: And you have to drop anvils on them. From balloons. And snakes! Snakes with knives!

Hey Jason, actually if you go through a couple of his blogs, one of them will link you to some exclusive video blogs he did that discuss all the aspects of getting into the Video Games Industry. And breaks is down with the various aspects. Like Coders, Designers, and Marketing.. etc.